The number of hours we need to sleep depends on many factors and although most of us move between the 7 or 8 hours, there are people who consider that they have enough with 6 and others need 9 hours to feel that they have had a good night.
In addition, even though the amount of hours we sleep a day is important, other aspects of sleep also contribute to health and wellbeing. The signs that the sleep is of bad quality include waking up tired even after sleeping for many hours, having several sleep interruptions during the night and experiencing symptoms such as snoring or shortness of breath.
HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU SLEEP IN THE DAY?
“Sleep for hours means you are at full power, with energy and good cheer throughout the day”, explains neurologist Celia García Malo, a specialist at the Instituto del Sueño in Madrid.
There are people who sleep less than 7 hours and feel completely refreshed, which we call short sleepers. Others wake up tired if they haven’t slept more than 9 hours, the big sleepers. The sign that you spend “your hours” is to be active and excited all day.
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE NEED LONGER SLEEP?
The reason why each one has their own need for sleep is not easy to contest.
“There are no conclusive studies on the exact reasons, it’s a mix of genetic factors and the environment that surrounds you”, explains doctor García.
There are families that group together more people who are short sleepers or wide sleepers, which points to the importance of genetics. There are no identified specific genes that regulate physical wear and tear during the day, which can lead to more rest or hours of exposure to sunlight. Contamination, both the quality of the air we breathe and sound contamination, with excess noise, can influence rest and sleep hours.
HOW MANY HOURS NEED TO SLEEP LOS MAYORES?
As we age, changes occur in our heart rate, our biological clock, the one that regulates the body’s activities. Los mayores suelen tener un sueño más intercortado.
It’s easy for them to wake up several times at night and later that day they fall asleep. They wake up many times at night and that’s what passes for the day invoice. Although it is a common disorder among older people, this broken sleep is not a good thing.
HOW MANY HOURS DO ADOLESCENTS NEED TO SLEEP?
Another common belief is that teenagers also need more hours of sleep because they spend more hours in bed. Of course, in the growing season it is normal that all children and adolescents can be more tired and sleepy. It is during the sleep hours when the growth hormone is activated. However, it is not a rule that teenagers always need to sleep more than an adult. There are hormonal and genetic factors that can influence what they suffer more, but not all teenagers have.
“If a teenager sleeps a lot, it’s probable that if you investigate the priests, they also lived that need for sleeping longer in adolescence”, points out doctora García.
If there are sleeping disorders in adolescence, more specific and punctual, they should be treated by a specialist.
ARE YOU SLEEPING THE NECESSARY HOURS?
The clearest clue is that you find yourself well during the day, if you are concentrated, with good memory, with physical energy, the rest has been correct. If you are apathetic, sad or especially irritable, these are symptoms that you are not rested. You haven’t slept enough or your sleep hasn’t had enough quality. As important as sleeping, your hours are that you get real rest, without interruptions, without noise that, without you knowing it, could have disturbed the phases of sleep that allow us a good rest.
HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU NEED TO SLEEP?
A good way to know the hours you really need to sleep is that you analyze yourself in a period of tranquility. It could be the weekend, but as usual you use it to catch up on late sleep, it won’t serve as an example. More realistic is that you control yourself in a week that you have vacations. A period in which there are no alarm clocks, no stresses or work schedules. Check how many hours you sleep on one of these vacation days. It will surely be very close to your real need for hours of sleep.
